Water recirculating device for evaporative coolers



Oct. 16, 1962 A. D. GOETTL 3,058,726

WATER RECIRCULATING DEVICE FOR EVAPORATIVE COOLERS Filed May 5, 1960 I I 7 V u 49 5| 8 s80 53 47 l2 p;

FIGI

49 47 INVENTOR.

ADAM D. GOETTL FIGZ 3,058,726 WATER RECRCULATING DEVECE FOR EVAPO- RATIVE CQGLERS Adam D. Goettl, Phoenix, Ariz., assiguor to McGra Edison Company, Milwaukee, Wis, a corporation of Delaware Filed May 5, 1966, Ser. No. 27,026 5 Claims. ((11. 261-29) This invention relates to a Water recirculating device for evaporative coolers and more particularly to a water recirculating device for evaporative coolers wherein water under pressure is utilized to aspirate water from the sump of an evaporative cooler and pump it to the upper portions of evaporative cooler pads and wherein a vacuum tank at the inlet of the aspirator is provided with a float valve to prevent overflow of the evaporative cooler sump when water pressure is too low to operate the aspirator.

Recirculating devices of the prior art have utilized aspirators and vacuum tanks to pump water from the sump of an evaporative cooler and to deliver such water to the upper portions of the evaporative cooler pads. In these devices, the amount of water evaporated from the pads is greater than the amount of Water utilized under pressure to operate the aspirator. However, in such prior art devices, reverse flow, through the aspirator, may be caused by a reduction in water pressure passing through the jet tube of the aspirator. Such reduced pressure of the water passing through the jet tube, which permits reverse flow into the vacuum tank, causes the water to pass through the vacuum tank and backwardly into the sump of the evaporative cooler, thereby flooding the same. During such flooding action, the water pressure is so low that water is not rapidly delivered to the evaporative cooler pads, due to the fact that it drains downwardly into the sump.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a water recirculating device for evaporative coolers wherein an aspirator is utilized to create low pressure in a vacuum tank communicating with the sump of an evaporative cooler and wherein a float valve in the vacuum tank is disposed to shut off communication with the evaporative cooler sump when the vacuum tank fills with water due to a low pressure condition of fluid in the jet tube of the aspirator.

Another object of the invention is to provide a water recirculating device for evaporaitve coolers which utilizes a vacuum tank and a jet tube aspirator and wherein a float internally of the vacuum tank is designated to shut otf communication of the vacuum tank with the evaporative cooler sump when the vacuum tank becomes filled due to a low water pressure condition in the jet tube of the aspirator whereby closing of the float valve forces water to pass on through the aspirator and to the evaporative cooler pads of the evaporative cooler.

Further objects and advantages of the invention may be apparent from the following specification, appended claims, and accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of an evaporative cooler showing portions broken away and in section and illustrating the water recirculating device for evaporative coolers of the present invention installed in the cooler; and

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of the vacuum tank and jet tube aspirator assembly of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 1 of the drawings, an evaporative cooler is provided with a conventional housing having air inlet louvers 12. inwardly of these louvers are evaporative cooler pads 14. Internally of the pads 14 titted fltates Fatent is a blower 16 disposed to deliver cool air through a duct 18 to a use location.

Above each pad is a water trough 20 which receives water from a tube 22 of a manifold 24. The manifold 24 is located in the upper portion of the evaporative cooler so that the tubes 22 may deliver Water to the troughs 20 and water my gravitate therefrom through the pads 14 and downwardly into a sump 26.

Communicating with the inlet of the manifold 24 is a supply tube 28 which communicates with a jet tube aspirator 30 having a flared tube 3-2 extending into a vacuum tank 34 which receives water through a tube 36 which has its lower end 38 disposed in a screen 40 below the water level A in the sump 26. A water pressure tube 42 supplies water under pressure to a jet nozzle 54 of the jet tube aspirator 3t) and this tube 42 communicates through a T joint 44 with a water pressure supply conduit 46.

Also coupled to the T is a float valve 48 which is provided with a float 50 disposed to control the water level in the sump 26 at the level A.

As shown in FIG. 2, the jet tube aspirator assembly 30 is provided with the flared tube 32 which is coupled directly to the conduit 28 to deliver water thereinto. Concentrically of the flared tube 32 is a nozzle portion 54 of a jet tube 43.

The tube 32, at its flared open end 58, is disposed near the bottom of the vacuum tank 34 to receive water therefrom.

High velocity and high pressure flow of water through the nozzle 54 of the jet tube 43 creates a low pressure therearound in the flared open end 58 causing Water to flow through the tube 32 and around the nozzle 54 and to be projected through the tube 28 to the manifold 24 which delivers water through the tubes 22 to the troughs 20 above evaporative cooler pads 14.

The water inlet tube 36 comprises a downwardly projecting portion 60 provided with an annular Valve seat 62 which extends downwardly into the vacuum tank 34.

It will be understood that a hermetically sealed condition of the tubes 32, 43, and 60, in the tank 34 is necessary so that a vacuum may be drawn in the tank 34 to cause low pressure in the supply tube 36 to force water upwardly into the vacuum tank 34.

Cooperatively associated with the annular valve seat 62 is a conical portion 64 of a float valve 66 which is guided concentrically of the tube 60 by guide rods'68 which are secured to the outer side of the float 66 and extend in close proximity to the sides of the tank 34. This float valve 66 is a hollow valve member having its upper conical seat surface 64 disposed in the annular seat 62 of the tube 60 to prevent back flow of water through the tube 36 and into the sump 26 of the evaporative cooler 10.

The tubes 32 and 43 are provided with screw threaded fittings 33 and 45, respectively, which are screw threaded in bosses 47 and 49, respectively, located at opposite sides of the vacuum tank 34. Couplings 51 and 53 permit the tubes 32 and 43, respectively, to be screw threadably removed from the vacuum tank 34 for cleaning the nozzle 54 and flared end 58.

In operation, water under pressure enters the supply conduit 46 and passes inwardly through the float valve 48 until the float 50 reaches a level A at which the water in the sump 26 is maintained.

Water which passes under pressure through the tube 43 and its nozzle 54 creates a partial vacuum in the flared tube portion 58 which forces water upwardly through the tube 32 and from the tank 34.

Due to the capacity of the vacuum tank, and the negative pressure created, water will fill the tank above the open end 58 of the tube 32 and water at a low level supports the float valve seat portion 64 away from the annular seat 62 of the tube 60 so that water may readily flow into the tank 34. Thus, the jet tube aspirator assembly 30 is always primed after water flows into the tank 34.

It will be understood that evaporation in the pads '14, utilizes more water than is supplied through the jet tube nozzle 54, and that the water passing into the planed end 58 of the tube 32 amounts to a considerably greater volumn than that supplied through the jet tube nozzle 54.

Inasmuch as the water used by the evaporative cooler pads 14 is more than that supplied through the jet tube nozzle 54, the float valve 48 controls the level A in the sump 26 by means of the float 50 and thus a normal supply of water is provided at the open end 38 of the supply tube 36 which permits water to be recirculated through the pads 14 by the vacuum tank 34, jet tube aspirator 30, tube 28, manifold 24, and tubes 22.

In the event water pressure in the tube 42 is reduced to a level or value at which the water issuing from the nozzle 54 will not create a partial vacuum in the tank 34, water tends to fill the tank 34. As the tank fills up, the float valve 66 rises until its seat 64 closes with the annular seat 62 of the tube 60 thereby preventing water from flowing backwardly through the tube 36 and cansing the sump 26 to overflow.

When the float valve 66 moves upwardly and closes with the seat 62, water is prevented from leaving the vacuum tank 34 and then positive pressure, even though it may be low, issuing from the nozzle 54, is maintained in the tube 28 which continues to supply Water under low pressure through the manifold 24 and tubes 22.

' It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that even though water pressure fails to be maintained at a sulficiently high level to operate the aspirator assembly 30, that the evaporative cooler pads will still receive some water to maintain them in effective operating condition.

As hereinbefore pointed out, the amount of water which may flow through the nozzle 54 is less than that which will be utilized by the evaporative cooler pads 14. Thus, the evaporative cooler sump will not overflow.

It will be understood by those skilled in the art that water troughs 20 distribute whatever water issues from the tubes 22 evenly over the pads 14 so that they will use the water passing from the nozzle 54 even when the water issues under low pressure. Thus, the water passing from the nozzle 54 through the tubes 22 does not cause overflow of the sump 26 because the evaporative cooler pads'14 are maintained in operation and they cause suflicient evaporation to account for the water which passes from the nozzle 54 under low pressure supply conditions.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various modifications of the present invention may be resorted to in a manner limited only by a just interpretation of the following claims.

I claim.

1. In a water recirculating device for evaporative coolers the combination of: an evaporative cooler having evaporative cooler pads; first means for forcing air therethrough; second means for supplying water to the upper portions of said pads; aspirator means for supplying water to said second means; a vacuum tank means disposed to supply water to said aspirator means; said aspirator means having a first tube disposed to deliver water from said vacuum tank to said second means; said evaporative cooler having a sump to receive water Which drains from said pads; a supply tube communicating with the interior of said vacuum tank and water in said sump; a water pressure supply means communicating with said aspirator means; a float valve communicating with said water pressure supply means for maintaining a given level of water in said sump; and a float valve in said vacuum tank disposed to shut ofi flow of water from said vacuum tank to said supply tube when water rises in said vacuum tank in response to low pressure operad. tion of said water supply means relative to said aspirator means. a

2. In a water recirculating device for evaporative coolers the combination of: an evaporative cooler having evaporative cooler pads; first means for forcing air therethrough; second means for supplying water to the upper portions of said pads; aspirator means for supplying water to said second means; a vacuum tank means disposed to supplywater to said aspirator means; said aspirator means having an aspirator cooler having a sump to receive water which drains from said pads; a supply tube communicating with the interior of said vacuum tank and the water in said sump; a water pressure supply means communicating with said aspirator means; a float valve communicating With said water pressure supply means for maintaining a given level of water in said sump; and a float valve in said vacuum tank disposed to shut off flow of water from said vacuum tank to said supply tube when water rises in said vacuum tank in response to low pressure operation of the water supply means relative to said aspirator means; said water pres sure supply means having a jet tube communicating therewith, said jet tube disposed in said aspirator means; said aspirator means having means surrounding said jet tube and disposed to deliver water therearound from said vacuum tank to said second means.

3. In a water recirculating device for evaporative coolers the combination of: an evaporative cooler having evaporative cooler pads; first means for forcing air therethrough; second means for supplying water to the upper portions of said pads; aspirator means for supplying water to said second means; a vacuum tank means disposed to supply water to said aspirator means; said aspirator means having a first tube disposed to deliver water from said vacuum tank to said second means; said evportive cooler having a sump to receive water which drains from said pads; a supply tube communicating with the interior of said vacuum tank and water in said sump; a water pressure supply means communicating with said aspirator means; a float valve communicating with said water pressure supply means for maintaining a given level of water in said sump and a float valve in said vacuum tank disposed to shut off flow of water from said vacuum tank to said supply tube when water rises in said vacuum tank in response torlow pressure operation of said water supply means relative to said aspirator means; said first tube communicating with the lower interior of said vacuum tank.

4. In a water recirculating device for evaporative coolers the combination of: an evaporative cooler having evaporative cooler pads; first means for forcing air therethrough; second means for supplying water to the upper portions of said pads; aspirator means for supplying water to said second means; a vacuum tank means disposed to supply water to said aspirator means; said aspirator means having a first tube disposed to deliver water from said vacuum tank to said second means; said evaporative cooler having a sump to receive water which drains from said pads; a supply tube communicating with the interior of said vacuum tank and water in said sump; a water pressure supply means communicating with said aspirator means; a float valve communicating with said water pressure supply means for maintaining a given level of water in said sump; and a float valve in said vacuum tank disposed to shut 01f flow of water from said vacuum tank to said supply tube when water rises in said vacuum tank in response to low pressure operation of said water supply means relative to said aspirator means; said aspirator means disposed in the lower interior of said vacuum tank and in priming liquid therein.

5. In a water recirculating device for evaporative coolers the combination of: an evaporative cooler having evaporative cooler pads; first means for forcing air therethrough; second means for supplying water to the upper portions of said pads; aspirator means for supplying water to said second means; a vacuum tank means disposed to supply water to said aspirator means; said aspirator means having a first tube disposed to deliver water from said vacuum tank to said second means; said evaporative cooler having a sump to receive water which drains from said pads; a supply tube communicating with the interior of said vacuum tank and water in said sump; a Water pressure supply means communicating wih said aspirator means; a float valve communicating with said water pressure supply means for maintaining a given level of water in said sump; and a float valve in said vacuum tank disposed to shut off flow of water from said vacuum tank to said supply tube when water rises in said vacuum tank in response to low pressure operation of said water supply means relative to said aspirator means; said aspirator means comprising a flared tube and a jet tube therein, said aspirator means disposed in the lower portion of said tank and in priming liquid therein References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

